Atonement

{Seven} No Means Yes

“Can I have this moment forever?”

-What I Believe, Skillet

 

 If I’d hoped to be able to convince Devil Anse of my innocence, I could just forget that dream. I watched in horror—and total pissed-offery—as McCoy swarmed the house. I knew how this looked. It looked like a rescue mission. Maybe if Rand’l McCoy wasn’t so self-centered, I’d believe it was, too. But since Russ and I were the only ones around here who knew I wasn’t a spy, this was not so great news for us.

  I looked to him for silent confirmation to run. He nodded his head slightly before ramming his elbow into the gut of one of his captors. While he stood battling his own restrainers, I tried to do the same. Turns out a girl ramming her elbow into the gut of a guy—a guy who’d just seen her brother do the same thing to his buddy and was expecting trouble—didn’t turn out so well.

  When he didn’t budge, I grinned sheepishly up at him. “Heh-heh….Whoops.”

  He gave me a disapproving frown before he began tugging me towards safety.

  Huh. Interesting. I kind of figured they’d just shoot me while they had the chance. Or did they wanna use me as a bargaining chip, too? God.

  But then I heard Devil Anse’s command above the noise of clattering horse hooves and gunfire, “Get the prisoners outta here!”

  Ah, so we could live and not be degraded to being used as a trade. Even when they were treating us like complete shit, I still found myself preferring the Hatfields over the McCoy. I appreciated their wisdom over the McCoys’ stupidity. The Hatfields were cold and ruthless, but at least they were consistent.

  I wasn’t sure where we were going, but I kept up with my lone captor. Every time I’d tried looking for Russ, I began to trip. I had to trust that he was alright.

  Suddenly, I went sprawling forward, barely catching my fall before I slammed into the dirt. When I looked up, the guy who’d been leading me to my temporary safety was lying on the ground, clutching his middle and groaning in pain.

  Gut shot. There was no hope for him, especially not in this madness. We were still in the midst of the battle, and I was still in danger of getting shot myself.

  Not asking for permission, I took the poor man’s pistol from his hand and checked the barrel. Only four bullets left. I needed them to count, then.

  “Sorry,” I said to the man, and I really meant it.

  My eyes scanned the mass of chaos for my brother. I didn’t see the two guys who were holding onto him anymore. He must have gotten free. But where was he now? I hoped he’d stolen a gun of some sort….

  A hand clamped onto my shoulder, scaring me enough to scream and point my new gun threatening at them.

  “Really?” Cap snapped, looking more irritated than surprised. “We gonna go through this again?”

  I didn’t lower my weapon, though. In fact, I was seriously considering shooting his shoulder or something. “Stay away from me,” I growled. “I swear to God, I’ll use this. You know I know how.”

  “You ain’t gonna get outta here alive, sweetheart,” Cap informed me matter-of-factly.

  I raised a challenging brow. “You gonna take me out yourself?” The cold glint in Cap’s eyes told me he would. I choked back the hurt and betrayal and said, “All I want is to get my brother and get—”